Bruce Requests trade to Dogs

[The Fireman]

can be a bit chilly

[magnifisaint]

KEY SAINT TOLD TO LOOK ELSEWHERE
St Kilda champion Nick Dal Santo says key forward Josh Bruce was told in an exit meeting that he would not be offered a contract extension despite kicking 36 goals this year. The 27-year-old has significant interest from the Western Bulldogs and Dal Santo believes a four-year offer has been tabled by the Bulldogs for the tall forward. Bruce has one year left on his contract at St Kilda, but the club is happy to move him on in order to try and bring in Bradley Hill, Zak Jones, and Paddy Ryder.

[saynta]

He couldn't wait to get out of Launceston quick enough.

Same here. Hated the place.

[BarryGrogan]

WTF difference would Tassie make to where we're at now?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Don't we get $1m from one China game?

[magnifisaint]

And some free dim sum

[B.M]

Did well in China,

And I thought the travel really set us up well for the following weeks.

Great Idea China, we have great support there, many membership opportunities and a great experience for the players... 12 hour flight, food poisoning, quality stadium and lovely clean air to breathe in Shanghai

Yep, much better than playing less than an hour away.

Barry, argue as much as you want, but Hawthorn have more than shown the benefit of playing in Tas. They have 18 000 members in Tassie, to go with 500 000 a game they play there.
They saw it as an opportunity, we saw it as a burden... they are a successful club, we are a shambles.

[gringo]

Back to Bruce

Who takes his place as a 6’5” 100kg Forward with massive work rate in 2020?

Probably Marshall or Battle or someone else, I'll let you know after the trade period.

Let's face it, this time last year we had no idea Marshall could actually ruck. He's a terrific ball winning ruck, who can say he won't be a more impressive CHF?

I cannot believe how good Bruce has suddenly become. We cannot rate all our players this highly and still be a bottom 6 side, expecting to trade only who we don't rate.

How would you improve our list? I know you wanted a 2000 / 2001 clean out so you know we have a poor list, it is just sad we don't have the same currency or attraction as back then.

Surely good list management is about stockpiling talent. When you have too many good players and some get pushed out of the seniors you are in a god place. We seem have okay players and s*** players. We seem to have a new plan where you move out the okay players and bring in players who are no better and expect miracles to happen. Marshall not being planned on is not good management seeing we traded out best 22 ruckman last year. If the idea is to get rid of best 22 players because a miracle upgrade might be already here....well that seems like not a plan.

[BarryGrogan]

Did well in China,

And I thought the travel really set us up well for the following weeks.

Great Idea China, we have great support there, many membership opportunities and a great experience for the players... 12 hour flight, food poisoning, quality stadium and lovely clean air to breathe in Shanghai

Yep, much better than playing less than an hour away.

Barry, argue as much as you want, but Hawthorn have more than shown the benefit of playing in Tas. They have 18 000 members in Tassie, to go with 500 000 a game they play there.
They saw it as an opportunity, we saw it as a burden... they are a successful club, we are a shambles.

??

So you want to leave China because it is detrimental on-field??

Sounds familiar.




Why are Hawthorn trying to leave Tassie?

[B.M]

No, I want to leave China because it’s a gimmick... and yes, it is detrimental on field. It’s a 12 hour flight each way.

How was Tas detrimental on field? Was the 45 minute plane trip and the MCG sized ground with an immaculate surface and a full house of mad saints fans that much of an issue?... or was it just our attitude to not playing under the roof?!

[degruch]

No, I want to leave China because it’s a gimmick... and yes, it is detrimental on field. It’s a 12 hour flight each way.

How was Tas detrimental on field? Was the 45 minute plane trip and the MCG sized ground with an immaculate surface and a full house of mad saints fans that much of an issue?... or was it just our attitude to not playing under the roof?!

Did we ever win there during out tenure?

[B.M]

What’s that got to do with it?

Were we incapable of winning away from home... to me, that’s the issue to rectify, and it was attitudinal.

No finals under the roof

[chook23]

What’s that got to do with it?

Were we incapable of winning away from home... to me, that’s the issue to rectify, and it was attitudinal.

No finals under the roof

we did play under the roof in final and lost to swans!!!

must admit though we did have a decent following in tassie......a couple games there would and could be valuable

[degruch]

What’s that got to do with it?

Were we incapable of winning away from home... to me, that’s the issue to rectify, and it was attitudinal.

No finals under the roof

Just a question...but in response "everything". Lack of success and constant interruption to the regular H&A season lead to it being binned. No future in it, a constantly divided and stagnant supporter base was probably less than could be achieved on the mainland without the expense.

[kalsaint]

what else can we really say sk ?

he certainly played hard for us whilst he was here
... and he deserves our gratitude for that

he was a bit of a fave of mine
... maybe thats why it stings a bit

Yes but he was still contracted, so the lure of more $$ is what has made him want to go. That's what makes it harder to accept. Still I'm no blaming Bruce exclusively for this decision.....the salary cap now imho is too excessive. If I had to pay $800K plus a year to a player on our list, I would rather Bruce get it instead of Hannebery or Billings. Bruce can still turn games and win them off his own boot. I doubt an injury prone Hanneberry in the twilight of his career will do that (we all know how hard it was for him just to get on the park this season) and as for Billings, he is a downhill skier, outside player who struggles to kick goals beyond 35m. Bruce will be a loss as he has physical presence, covers a bit of ground for his size and has shown how damaging he can be in the air. The Western Bulldogs and Beveridge aren't stupid to have offered him a more lucrative contract.

Totally agree on the comparisons.

[kalsaint]

I'm not torn over this. Bruce always found it pretty hard to get seperation on his opponent and have away his fare share of frees trying to pluck a mark. He was a good forward, but not a great one. Yeah our delivery wasn't the greatest. But having someone with presence who can demand the ball in the forward line is the other part of the connection. It rarely worked for Bruce so I'm happy to see a King and Membrey controlling the forward half.

Well I'm still torn on this. Bruce often had three opponents around him as we bombed the ball forward. Ratts better get the skills up to scratch or we have just lost a huge potential. King may be great but I doubt if he dominates over the next 2 years. His brother being at the club os not a certainty by any means. We don't have Paddy. Love Membrey but who relies on a medium sized player a the key forward. Bulldogs are going to love the extra options going forward, as someone said Noughton is going to be a superstar with time. Lucky them and it looks like we might get pick 30 or 41. Phew that wont get Hill across to us as Dockers are seeking pick 6 and they have the high ground here as hes in contract.

Tell me again how this benefits us again? Have we some surprise superstar forward lined up for this year that is worth pick 30 or 41? I doubt it.

Bigger picture is something that improves culture, skills and ability along with some fun and team spirit. Hopefully this has some impact in recruitment as we haven't been overly successful in the last 7 years, bar Steele and last years duo. Others have taken a lot of time to get up to a standard of acceptance but aren't game winners. Perennially we have not make the game breaker choices I recruitment. Didn't get Judd, didn't get Jack Riewoldt, didn't get Bontempelli and had the picks to do this. We don't seem to look at other players on videos of potential draft players. Bontempelli featured in many of these videos. For this to happen he must be a ball magnet and work hard. Bulldogs saw that, we didn't.

Recruitment has been our biggest problem over a long time. Seems we need Blight at the club for this aspect.

[SaintPav]

Let's consider a glass half full situation scenario: Bruce going creates a situation that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Marshall plays mostly in the forward line and kills it.

Plausible?

[bigred]

So tell me why Bruce is only worth a third rounder while f****** Papley is worth a first rounder.

Why is Steven worth a third rounder while if he was at any other club he would be a first round minimum.

Why?

[Joffa Burns]

WTF difference would Tassie make to where we're at now?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Don't we get $1m from one China game?

Let's say conservatively 4 games per annum in Tassie was worth $1M, most likely double in Tassie Government & AFL support. We left at a guess in 2006 so we've thrown away $13M conservatively in revenue.

You now throw in one year in China to suggest it bankrolls our lost income on Tassie?

And lastly, why not have both?

Not sure I want you in charge of my revenue streams Barry

[gringo]

Let's consider a glass half full situation scenario: Bruce going creates a situation that wouldn't have happened otherwise. Marshall plays mostly in the forward line and kills it.

Plausible?

Or glass half empty, Marshall gets a year ending injury and a 32 year old Ryder has to carry ruck and forward. Membrey is triple teamed and King gets targeted and mentally crushed from the attention. We struggle to kick 40 points most games.

I hope we can rookie list a state league ruck.

[BarryGrogan]

WTF difference would Tassie make to where we're at now?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Don't we get $1m from one China game?

Let's say conservatively 4 games per annum in Tassie was worth $1M, most likely double in Tassie Government & AFL support. We left at a guess in 2006 so we've thrown away $13M conservatively in revenue.

You now throw in one year in China to suggest it bankrolls our lost income on Tassie?

And lastly, why not have both?

Not sure I want you in charge of my revenue streams Barry

We didn't get to play 4 games in Tassie on top of the 4 games we play in Melbourne.

So it's not $13m additional. Remove the revenue from the 4 home games and the 'make up games' for members and it'd be nowhere near $13m.



Besides, I haven't thrown in anything.

I don't think $500k a year for playing in Tassie would change our position on-field one bit.

It hasn't for North. Hasn't for Hawthorn.

The members you get down there are all the 3-game ones that only cover the Tassie games anyway, so thats hardly a massive deal.

Playing in Tassie won't draw players to the club.


It didn't bother me one bit when we left Tassie, and wouldn't bother me one bit if we relocated there, or to China.
I didn't care when we took the million for playing in NZ either.

I just think it's odd to oppose China so vehemently, yet bemoan leaving Tassie.

[Mr Magic]

Anybody hear Ratten on SEN this morning?
When asked about Bruce going to the Bulldogs he replied that Bruce was under contract and we (the Club) have not been informed that he won't be playing for us next season.

[Joffa Burns]

WTF difference would Tassie make to where we're at now?

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Don't we get $1m from one China game?

Let's say conservatively 4 games per annum in Tassie was worth $1M, most likely double in Tassie Government & AFL support. We left at a guess in 2006 so we've thrown away $13M conservatively in revenue.

You now throw in one year in China to suggest it bankrolls our lost income on Tassie?

And lastly, why not have both?

Not sure I want you in charge of my revenue streams Barry

I haven't thrown in anything.

I don't think $500k a year for playing in Tassie would change our position on-field one bit.

It hasn't for North. Hasn't for Hawthorn.

The members you get down there are all the 3-game ones that only cover the Tassie games anyway, so thats hardly a massive deal.

Playing in Tassie won't draw players to the club.


It didn't bother me one bit when we left Tassie, and wouldn't bother me one bit if we relocated there, or to China.
I didn't care when we took the million for playing in NZ either.

I just think it's odd to oppose China so vehemently, yet bemoan leaving Tassie.

I never suggested playing in Tassie would change our on-field position.

You wrote - what difference would playing in Tassie make?
I responded - $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

However it's fair to assume reducing debt & having a bigger football department budget could play a significant part in better on field performance.

[SaintPav]

Go Ratts.

Screw the Bulldogs

[B.M]

You think Barry that Hawthorn and North would be there if it didn’t make a difference financially?

And Hawthorn get 500k per game in Tas, not 500k per year.

And 18 000 interstate members pay $80-$180 per year at Hawthorn

Plus they are sponsored by tourism Tasmania.

Hawthorn has benefited hugely from Tasmania, and we made a huge mistake turning our back on Tassie.
You can actually admit that now, with the benefit of hindsight or you can sound stupid I suppose?!

[SaintPav]

These squabbles are getting a bit tedious.

It doesn’t prove anything anyway.

I never do that.

Just saying.